Gu Jinqin's Cave Mansion.

Shen Xuan looked at the alarming numbers in the ledger and couldn't help exclaiming.

"Senior brother, I..."

Gu Jinqin's pretty face turned slightly red, somewhat embarrassed.

However, she quickly became justified.

"I only have a deficit of two million, the main part is from Senior Sister and Second Senior Sister's deficit!"

Gu Jinqin managed the affairs of the small Gu Feng for thirty-five years, with a deficit of only two million Spirit Stones.

It's indeed more frugal than the previous two.

Shen Xuan speechlessly glanced at Gu Jinqin.

"Junior sister, where are my two hundred thousand Spirit Stones?"

"Here they are!"

Gu Jinqin quickly turned to a page in the ledger.

On a certain page, it was clearly written.

Borrowed from Junior Brother Shen Xuan, two hundred thousand Spirit Stones, to pay for the repair fees of the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall Cave Mansion.

At that time, Shen Xuan's status was still a Registered Disciple, Gu Jinqin's junior brother.

"No, junior sister, you used my Spirit Stones to fill the deficit, how come you didn't say a word to me?"

"Senior brother, I also put in Spirit Stones!"

Gu Jinqin pointed to another line of small text.

Borrowed from Gu Jinqin, two hundred Spirit Stones, to pay the wages of the servants at Small Gu Feng.

"Besides, who told you not to take them back!"

One was two hundred thousand, the other two hundred.

Quite a comparison.

"Senior brother, the affairs of Small Gu Feng are entrusted to you! In the future, if there are Spirit Stones, you can prioritize recouping what's been advanced!"

Shen Xuan was the only male disciple under Master Gu Feng.

Although it was never explicitly said, everyone knew in their hearts.

Master Gu Feng intended to position Shen Xuan as the newly appointed "Senior Brother".

The trivial matters of Small Gu Feng would be handled by him.

This arrangement was a good thing for Small Gu Feng.

But for Shen Xuan, it was a hot potato.

"Senior brother, Small Gu Feng is actually fine, expenses aren't large. You can find the master and have her come up with a way to start a profitable business, which can offset the deficit."

Gu Jinqin wasn't wrong.

Although the deficit of Small Gu Feng was nearly nine million Spirit Stones, it was accumulated over a hundred years.

On average, it's only eighty to ninety thousand Spirit Stones a year.

The main part of it is the Cave Mansion Spiritual Qi fees for the Direct Disciples.

The rest, like servant wages, daily maintenance, and repairs, are necessary expenses.

The truly unreasonable part was Senior Sister Yun Chixin borrowing twenty thousand Spirit Stones before she left.

From the ledger, it was also apparent that Master Gu Feng was actually a kind person.

Shen Xuan had inquired around.

The Direct Disciples of other peaks had to figure out ways to earn Spirit Stones by themselves to pay for their Cave Mansion Spiritual Qi fees.

The True Masters would not cover these expenses for them.

Otherwise, it wouldn't be fair to the True Masters who took fewer disciples.

"Didn't the master think of a solution?"

"Senior brother means..."

"Pill, Artifact, Array, Talisman, Sword, Medicine, Poison, Beast Puppet, and so on, did the master not teach you any of the cultivation techniques?"

"How could you say that!"

Gu Jinqin laughed and said, "The master doesn't know them herself."

Shen Xuan asked, "No way! The master truly doesn't know any of them?"

"In alchemy, the Pill Furnace exploded! In Artifact Refining, the Artifact Furnace exploded! In Talisman crafting, the Talisman exploded."

Gu Jinqin said, "The master comes from a prestigious clan, has been pampered, and cannot do those delicate tasks!"

If it's low-tier Pill, Artifact, Array, Talisman, etc., Master Gu Feng could naturally make them.

However, for a True Master to craft low-tier Pill, Artifact, Array, Talisman not only takes time and effort but also loses face.

For a dignified True Master, to compete with Foundation Establishment Cultivators for food, is that decent?

"And what about you all?"

Shen Xuan asked curiously, "From Senior Sister to the sixth new Entry Level Junior Sister, seventh Junior Sister, don't you all have to learn one or two cultivation techniques for a living?"

"Us? We naturally listen to the master, cultivate well, strive to condense the Inner Core, and bring glory to the family."

"Time for cultivation is not even enough, why bother learning those!"

Hearing this, Shen Xuan no longer asked and silently packed away the ledger.

As the teacher is, so is the disciple.

It turns out, the entire Small Gu Feng, except for him, were all just big spenders!

Upon reflection, it was normal.

Master Gu Feng was such a person.

She recruited all female disciples.

They followed her example.

That Small Gu Feng could still sustain itself was a testament to Master Gu Feng's extensive connections.

To wear the crown, one must bear its weight.

Since Shen Xuan had taken over Small Gu Feng's affairs, there was no need to investigate past matters deeply.

Master Gu Feng accepting him as a Direct Disciple had the intention of having him manage Small Gu Feng's affairs.

Shen Xuan understood this.

If he were in her position, with such a bunch of reckless female disciples, he would also think of finding a capable male disciple to get out of the predicament.

Master Gu Feng never experienced poverty.

With full family support, she never worried about cultivation resources.

Unlike Shen Xuan.

He had struggled in the lower levels of the Cultivation Realm as a Loose Cultivator for many years.

Every Spirit Stone had to be carefully calculated.

Although Small Gu Feng's affairs had a severe deficit.

Shen Xuan was not concerned.

Since they could owe so much, it indicated that the Sect understood the situation of Small Gu Feng.

And it was tacitly accepted.

If the Foundation Establishment Realm Immortals of Small Gu Feng were willing, they could marry into prestigious families.

A mere few million Spirit Stones were nothing in the eyes of the sect's high level.

Even in Shen Xuan's eyes, it wasn't a big deal.

Since he dared to take on the affairs of Small Gu Feng, he had a plan to get Small Gu Feng out of its predicament.

More important than becoming the senior brother of Small Gu Feng, Shen Xuan believed, was to enhance his realm cultivation, consolidate his Dao Foundation, and increase his chances of Core Formation.

Rather than becoming the core figure of Small Gu Feng, it's better to prove his Dao to Golden Core.

Now, Shen Xuan has broken through to the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment, with greatly increased strength.

Things he didn't dare to do before, he can now attempt.

However, before that, he must first resolve the deficit issues of Small Gu Feng's affairs.

This surely requires the master's strong support.

...

In the Grotto Heaven Blessed Land of Small Gu Feng.

"Large Furnace Refining?"

Looking at the thick plan Shen Xuan had brought out, Master Gu Feng looked puzzled.

In her impression, alchemy was a very troublesome task.

Even such a small pill furnace would explode.

Let alone this giant furnace depicted by Shen Xuan, towering one zhang high.

In terms of volume, it's thirty times that of an ordinary pill furnace.

"Shen Xuan, can you perform alchemy?"

"I cannot."

Shen Xuan answered honestly.

"However, I have a friend who can."

"My senior brother, Master Longevity, is even a Tier Three Pill Master!"

Master Gu Feng said begrudgingly.

Master Longevity is the Hall Master of the Spirit Pill Hall, the only Tier Three Pill Master in Cyan Cloud Sect.

"Would Master Longevity refine pills for the teacher for free?"

Hearing this from Shen Xuan, Master Gu Feng became interested.

"Explain clearly."

"Master, after taking over the management of Little Lone Peak, it has been in deficit for a hundred years, amassing to 8.88 million Spirit Stones."

"Oh."

Master Gu Feng responded, clearly already aware in her heart.

"I checked and the expenses are fine. However, income?"

"Little Lone Peak has no income. This is the reason for the deficit in management."

Master Gu Feng asked, "So, you plan to use this large furnace alchemy method to refine pills and earn Spirit Stones?"

"Yes, Master."

Master Gu Feng glanced at the alchemy workshop map.

"Speak. How do you want me to cooperate?"

"Master, could you first meet with my friend?"

Master Gu Feng glanced at the Soul Nourishing Wood hanging at Shen Xuan's waist.

"Let her come out now!"

Shen Xuan relayed the message through his Divine Soul.

A cloud of darkness rose from the Soul Nourishing Wood.

Nether Cultivator Li Ruyi appeared and bowed towards Master Gu Feng.

"Nether Cultivator Li Ruyi greets Master Gu Feng of the sect!"

Master Gu Feng appraised Li Ruyi with a few glances.

"Not bad. The Soul Foundation is solid, the aura is pure. There might be hope in condensing a Soul Pill."

"Many thanks for the praise, Master!"

Overjoyed upon hearing this, Li Ruyi was delighted.

The Master wouldn't speak casually.

If spoken, it must be based on evidence.

If the Soul Pill can be condensed, becoming a Nether Cultivator Master can also extend life and prove the Dao.

"So, tell me, does this large furnace alchemy method work?"

"It works!"

Li Ruyi said confidently.

"High Tier Spirit Pills might be difficult. However, if it's just the Spirit Gathering Pill, after a few trials, success is certain."

This is simply a difference in concept.

Like Columbus standing an egg.

It's a very simple method, but the predecessors didn't think of it.

It's still because of the influence of inertial thinking, lacking innovative awareness.

In the cultivation world, alchemy arts are extremely precious, with closed and singular inheritance.

When Shen Xuan proposed the large furnace alchemy innovation, Li Ruyi was utterly shocked.

She is a Tier Two Top Grade Pill Master.

She had never thought of using a large pill furnace to increase output and benefit.

Pill Masters have always focused on enhancing the alchemy art to improve the pill success rate and the quality of spirit pills.

One could say Shen Xuan's thinking is completely different from that of Pill Masters.

This is where the difference in mindset lies.

In fact, in Shen Xuan's previous life.

In pharmaceutical technology, any new drug undergoes small-scale testing, pilot testing, and then mass commercial production.

The so-called large furnace alchemy is merely expanding thirty times more than a regular pill furnace, barely considered small-scale testing.

The difficulty isn't great.

The key to alchemy, success lies in the state of herb consolidation, control of alchemy fire, and the timing of opening the furnace to produce pills.

If these three aspects are well mastered.

The probability and quality of pill success will naturally rise.

With Li Ruyi's assistance.

Shen Xuan's large furnace alchemy plan book was filled with sincerity and had a high success rate.

For good consolidation of herbs, choose high-quality herbs of sufficient age.

For a Pill Master, controlling the furnace fire is not easy.

They usually practice the [Fire Control Technique] to adjust the furnace fire.

This is why most Pill Masters are Fire Cultivators.

In response, Shen Xuan is unperturbed.

Using the [Fire Control Technique] to control the furnace fire instead limits the quantity of the pill liquid.

His plan is to inscribe a simple temperature calculation array inside the pill furnace.

Referencing the internal temperature of the pill furnace, adjust the earth fire intensity and airflow to steadily control the furnace fire.

As for the timing of opening the furnace to produce pills, supposedly esoteric, it mainly relies on the experience and Divine Sense of the Pill Master.

Shen Xuan also chose an unconventional path.

Set an observation array inside the pill furnace to directly observe the consolidation state of the medicinal liquid.

Control the temperature within the furnace, allowing the fused medicinal liquid to clump together.

Just as the medicinal liquid is reaching its critical point, suddenly intensify the fire, raising the temperature sharply inside the furnace, causing the medicinal liquid to condense into a solid sphere under external pressure.

It seems simple.

To truly fuse pill and artifact array techniques, one must have an open and innovative mindset.

Native Pill Masters indeed cannot conceive this.

Master Gu Feng does not understand alchemy.

But she knows, the Nether Cultivator opposite her is a genuine Pill Master.

If she says it's feasible, it must be feasible.

A mere Nether Cultivator dares not lie in front of her.

If it truly succeeds.

It's equivalent to having thirty Tier Two Pill Masters refining Spirit Gathering Pills for Little Lone Peak for free.

Calculating in this way.

A mere deficit of eight million Spirit Stones is insignificant!

"Shen Xuan."

"I'm here, Master!"

"Leave this with me for now. You return and work closely with Fellow Daoist Li, further probing and plugging any gaps."

"In some days, I will respond to you."

"Yes, Master!"

Shen Xuan knows clearly in his heart.

Master Gu Feng will consult experts before making up her mind.

Shen Xuan is full of confidence in the large furnace alchemy plan.

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